Abstract

Objectives

This study aims at examining parent-young people communication about sexual and reproductive
health related topics and factors associated with it from both young people’s and
parents’ perspectives.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,269 young people aged 10–24 years in
Nekemte town and semi urban areas, western Ethiopia. Chi-square and multivariate logistic
regression analyses were conducted using SPSS for windows version 16. The qualitative
data was coded, and categorized in to emerging themes using the open code software
version 3.4.

Result

About a third of young people-32.5% (32.4% of females and 32.7% males) engaged in
conversation about sexual and reproductive health topics with their parents/parent
figures during the last six months. In logistic regression analyses, young people
who were aged 15–19 years were more likely to report parent-communication compared
to the other age groups (AOR = 1.57; 95%CI = 1.26-1.97). Female young people are more
likely to discuss with their mothers, (AOR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.13-3.2), sister (AOR = 2.16,
95% CI = 1.19-3.9) and female friends (AOR = 11.7, 95% CI = 7.36-18.7) while males
are more likely to discuss with male friends (AOR = 17.3, 95%CI = 10-4-28.6). Educated
young people were more likely to parent-communicate(AOR = 1.70, 95%CI = 1.30-2.24).
Fear of parent, cultural taboos attached to sex, embarrassments, and parents’ lack
of knowledge related to sexual and reproductive health were found to be barriers for
parent communication. Parent-communication takes place not only infrequently but also
in warning, & threatening way.

Conclusion

Parent-young people communication about sexual health is occurring rarely in the family
and bounded by certain barriers. Programmes/policies related to young people’s reproductive
health should address not only individual or behavioral factors but also cultural
and social factors that negatively influence parent-communication about reproductive
health.